


The Divine Feast of Akhaten

by unwillingadventurer



Category: Doctor Who (1963)
Genre: Prequel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-25
Updated: 2018-05-25
Packaged: 2019-05-13 16:00:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,164
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14751939
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unwillingadventurer/pseuds/unwillingadventurer
Summary: The Doctor takes Susan on a trip to Akhaten.





	The Divine Feast of Akhaten

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by the dialogue in 'The Rings of Akhaten' in which the Doctor mentioned having visited with his granddaughter.

The time and space ship called the TARDIS, ready for its next adventure, materialised unheard among a complex maze of stalactites hidden in the depths of a forgotten cave. An old man, the Doctor, frail and cautious, dressed in a frock coat, stepped outside its doors with his granddaughter Susan following behind him, clutching onto his arm. The ship now resembled a huge boulder with green creepers running around the edges and it possessed a sort of cloaking device- a chameleon circuit that allowed the space ship to blend in with its surroundings. 

The Doctor’s granddaughter who looked no older than a young human teenager, wore a white dress with long flowing sleeves and a brown and battered satchel over her shoulder. Her hair was as black as ebony and long and wavy; curls flowing down her back. The old man, the Doctor, stood beside her, his expression portraying a sense of disappointment. 

“We seem to be a little stuck among these wretched things!” he said as his frock coat snagged against one of the sharp hanging stalactites. “Careful, my dear, we’re going to have to manoeuvre our way through this lot.”

“I’m really quite good at gymnastics, Grandfather,” Susan said as she led the way and was bending back and forth between the crags and rocks. She reached the clearing far quicker than her grandfather and had to wait patiently for him to join her by the entrance of the cave. By the time he did catch up, he was breathless and red faced and his jacket was torn in various places.

“Oh, dear, dear, remind me to materialise outside of a cave next time hmm?”

Susan laughed and then thought for a moment. “Perhaps there’s something wrong with the TARDIS, Grandfather, she keeps landing a little off. Perhaps she has the flu!”

“Nonsense, there’s nothing wrong with my ship. It’s in perfect working order, nothing can go wrong.”

“Yes, I suppose so. But where are we, Grandfather, somewhere educational I expect?”

“No much more exciting my dear child,” he said as he moved behind her, his protective hands clasping her shoulders in comfort. “We are at a place called Akhaten. Take a look at that, my dear.”

Susan sighed with excitement and stared ahead in awe at the beautiful view before her. Oranges and reds filled the scene with crumbling rocks dancing and wheeling their way peacefully and slowly across the view in front of them. Flashes of blue and purple highlighted the other colours, making the sight one of the most spectacular images she’d ever seen.

“What do you think Susan, hmmm?”

“Oh, Grandfather,” she said, placing her hand over her chest to feel if her heart was beating as fast as she felt it was, “I think if heaven exists, this is what it looks like.”

The Doctor chuckled. “Quite so, quite so, come along, come along.” He gave her no more time to take in the view before he was nudging her back into another direction.

“Are we going to go into the city, Grandfather?”

The Doctor paused; he seemed concerned and his face was lined with uncertainty and doubt. 

“Oh, come on, Grandfather, a closer look...just this once! I want to talk to people and look around and see things right up close...just right in front of me, not always observed from a distance.”

The Doctor was hesitant. At first, he shook her request away, but finally he softened to her request. “Oh, very well, but you must follow my instructions implicitly...do you understand? Implicitly!”

Susan squealed in delight and surprised the old man with a quick kiss to the cheek. The Doctor smirked, trying hard not to let out a full smile. 

“Yes, yes, well let’s take a closer look then, shall we?”

...

The booming market place was bustling with colourful alien life. Dozens upon dozens of wooden stalls were laden with an assortment of fabrics, food in glorious quantities, pottery and art, and most bizarrely technological equipment that contrasted so much with the almost ancient appearing civilisation. The mix of the ancient and modern delighted Susan who enjoyed things from all eras.

The Doctor picked up a silver wristwatch from one of the stalls. The clock face was green and mechanical and it told the time of various time zones on the system. He was fascinated by the intricacy of the watch, how it was so delicate and small yet held so much information and wonder on one single fingertip. The clockwork ticked away making the Doctor ever aware of time, aware of the feeling that he was always in a hurry despite the fact that time was something he was never short of. Time could be anything he wanted it to be yet he always felt he didn’t have enough; always feeling the need to rush off to the next place, studying it and moving on. Always moving on.

Susan’s eyes danced in excitement. “A market place, a real place to buy anything I want. I can buy clothes!”

The Doctor harrumphed. “Susan, you own too many outfits as it is. Every new planet you want a new frock, even on educational trips.”

Susan’s eyes rolled. “They’re all educational trips! For once I want an actual memento of a place I’ve been to and experienced.”

“That’s what the memory banks are for, my dear, to record all our journeys, all our findings. Is that not adequate enough?”

“Oh, but those are just facts and figures, Grandfather. You can’t record the smell of an alien flower, or the taste of a rare rich berry, or the feel of alien silk as it drapes around your shoulders. Those are the things I want to keep and remember.”

“Oh, Susan, my dear, you are far too sentimental.”

“And I think you are too though you hide it deeper.”

The Doctor considered her thoughts and then nudged her along to let her have a peek at all the things she desired. She held up a long dress and spun around as she held it close to her- the colours twisting and turning so fast like the image from a kaleidoscope. The Doctor suddenly felt quite dizzy.

“Oh, it’s beautiful,” she repeated. However, she grew bored easily and a moment later was sifting blue grains of sand through her fingers. “Look Grandfather, you can fill up an hourglass with whatever sand you like and the glass is flexible, can become solid, liquid, even gas. The sand just follows the form of the container.”

She poured some pink sand into one of the hourglasses and watched as the glass slowly became liquid- the pink colour bleeding through into ripples across the object. The Doctor took hold of it and as he did, the object re-formed into solid glass.

“Very pretty, my dear, very pretty.”

Susan quickly scooped up a delicate trinket and held it high into the air where it caught the light. 

“No touching before sale!” an angry alien voice said.

Susan put down the trinket and stood back in surprise. “Oh, I’m sorry.”

“Do forgive my granddaughter; she is a very curious young lady much like that young Alice in the little wonderland.”

The alien’s four eyes widened, its domed head pulsated so that its green brain became luminous with thought. “Granddaughter! And you are her grandfather?”

“Yes. Is that significant?”

“There is an event this very day in honour of the old god, ‘The Grandfather’. We take a feast in the halls of worship to celebrate the grandchildren of our world, his children, and all their offspring in the image of the grandfather and all he has done for us.” The alien held out two tickets and pushed them near the Doctor’s hand. “You must attend the great feast of Akhaten. He will expect you.”

“That’s very kind of you, sir, but we shall decline,” the Doctor said, nudging the alien hand away.

Susan pulled the Doctor aside. “We can’t turn down an invite, Grandfather, it might appear rude to these people. You said before we came here that tradition and worship is important to them.”

“And I respect that life, I find it fascinating, but tradition and obedience aren’t all what they are cracked up to be.”

“Oh, not everything is the same, Grandfather, you know that.”

The Doctor’s eyes darted back and forth for a moment. Susan knew he was curious by the way he was twiddling his fingers. He sighed, reached forward, and gently took the two tickets from the vendor. 

“With thanks,” the alien replied, “in one full passing of the minutes you shall enter the hall of worship.”

The Doctor nodded. “Thank you. Well, Susan, it appears you will need something to wear after all.”

Susan screamed with delight and ran over to another of the stalls. This one was covered with various ceremonial cloaks, robes, and long dresses. Susan picked up a crimson cloak and tried it on. She placed the hood over her head. “Oh, Grandfather, can I have this one?”

He sighed, staring for a moment at the cloak. “Yes, yes,” he said as he turned to look at the rather grotesque looking alien who had shuffled closer, “how much for the cloak, sir?”

The Doctor and Susan jumped back, startled when the alien began barking furiously at them. 

“Do not bark at me, sir! I am trying to purchase your item,” the Doctor roared back.

The alien’s teeth protruded from its mouth, and what had appeared as aggression was now clearly a happy smile. The alien barked slower and quietly. The Doctor nodded like he understood. “Oh, I am terribly sorry, madam, I fully apologise. Yes, she would like this cloak.”

The alien female barked again, and the Doctor nodded once more. “I see. Susan, payment is not cash nor credits, but we must provide her with something of value to us, to our memories.”

Susan bit her lip and had a think. The Doctor patted his coat for inspiration, but the boiled sweets, the little torch, and the wooden yo-yo were hardly of great sentimental value. Finally, inspiration struck Susan and she began unlocking her satchel. She flung open the top and reached inside, pulling out a small wooden box with Gallifreyan inscription on the front. She opened it and took out a battered but beautiful silver leaf. The Doctor gasped. 

“Will this do? It has many memories for me.”

The Doctor bristled. “Put that away at once, child, do you want people knowing...?”

“Grandfather, it’s just a leaf, no one could know...”

“How can such a silly little thing hold a story, a memory?” the Doctor said.

“I climbed the trees on our home. I climbed so high one time that I got stuck in its branches. You had to come and rescue me; do you remember that?”

The Doctor patted her on the arm. “You cried and screamed, you cut your knee, and you didn’t stop crying until I got to you.”

“It means a lot. It tells a story, and it’s from home. It’s part of me.”

Once again the Doctor relented to his granddaughter’s wishes and handed over the frail but attractive silver leaf on her behalf. “I hope this shall suffice as currency, madam.”

The alien barked and motioned for Susan to keep the cloak as her own. The Doctor began to pull Susan away. 

...

The hall of worship was a magnificent building resembling an Earth temple. There were three long wooden tables in the centre and about a hundred or so chairs placed around them. The tables were filled with goblets of fizzing wine, and platters of sumptuous meat and fruit, and there were loaves of bread upon every plate. On each table there was a centre-piece, a glowing orb of light that illuminated the banquet tables making the food appear different colours. When Susan and the Doctor entered, most of the guests had already arrived. An usher took their tickets and stamped them before leading them over to their seats. They sat down gratefully and marvelled at the feast ahead of them.

“Quite a spread indeed,” the Doctor commented. 

As the grandfathers and their grandchildren hurried to their seats, a gong was struck by a man in a similar robe to Susan’s. The man had raised markings over his face and to the Doctor’s surprise he began to sing. The man’s voice was so soothing, so melodious, and almost hypnotic. Everyone instantly fell silent and obedient to its chorus.

The man sung the lyrics ‘I bring thee together, Grandfather. I bring thee songs of peace. I walk with the children; we live in your vision, your grace, and your love. We live in you, in constant duty and hope. We summon the heart of the grandfather and banish evil away.’ 

When the man stopped singing, everyone began to cheer. The Doctor frowned as his fingers tapped awkwardly on the table. He was impatient to start eating and let them be on their way. Susan was hushing his grumbling and his rudeness. 

“Other cultures, Grandfather, their rules! Besides, wasn’t his voice the most beautiful thing you’ve ever heard?”

“Hm maybe second best, my dear. He hasn’t heard me sing,” he chuckled.

Susan rolled her eyes. “Of course, Grandfather, of course.”

...

The feast was a grand and important function and despite his trepidation, the Doctor found himself getting involved and conversing with other grandfathers around the table. He had eaten a large amount of food and had unbuttoned his top button on his trousers, letting out a sigh of regret at his gluttony. Susan noted to herself it was one of the first times she’d seen him getting to know people.

The Doctor’s conversation was interrupted by a strange whirring sound that seemed to be coming from one of the walls. The Doctor instinctively grabbed Susan’s hand. 

“What is that?” Susan whispered as the noise continued, piercing their ears.

The guests at the feast waited for an announcement to what was happening but instead the singing man held out a device and the whirring in the wall stopped. 

“Thank goodness for that!” the Doctor harrumphed loudly so that the entire room turned to stare at him. Susan wanted to laugh so hard. For a man who was keen to remain mysterious and uninteresting he was always so loud and obvious, placing himself the centre of attention at almost every occasion.

The singing man ignored the Doctor’s rude outburst and all eyes fell back upon the man with the most gracious voice Susan had ever heard. As he started to sing again, the Doctor’s lips pursed together and his eye twitched.

“What is this a musical review?”

Susan hushed him again. “I can’t take you anywhere, Grandfather!”

The singing man continued but to the Doctor’s ears it was so very repetitive and not like the songs of his own people that he deemed superior. Susan in contrast was smiling and enjoying the performance and she playfully nudged the Doctor to join in but he was adamant that he was not going to participate in what he considered no better than a sea shanty. 

Susan sighed and sang along but as she allowed herself to join in she looked over at the singing man and felt a shiver run down her spine. He was staring behind the guests, so deeply staring that Susan began to feel uneasy. His face no longer seemed relaxed but more distressed and frightened.

She gasped as the man was suddenly lifted into an orb of light, flying high into the air. He was floating above them and seemed to be chanting quietly to himself.

“What’s happening?” Susan said.

The Doctor’s eyes flashed an interest that hadn’t been there before but remained silent, simply watching as the man appeared to be dragged backwards by some invisible force. The man suddenly let out a terrified scream, no longer able to remain poised and composed as he had been throughout his recital.

“Help me!” he screamed. “I’m not ready to go!”

Susan jumped up from her seat. “But he doesn’t want to go! Grandfather, he’s terrified!”

The Doctor’s face suddenly showed a look of anguish and fear. “So it would seem, my dear.”

“What’s happening? Why is he being taken, and where?”

The Doctor looked around the room to where everyone’s faces displayed the same concerns. “It would appear, my child, that he is some kind of offering to this grandfather of theirs.”

Susan buried her face on his shoulder. “But...he’s scared...I don’t like it.”

“Neither do I, Susan, but what we think is not the issue here.”

“But Grandfather!”

“But nothing! Like you said, their culture; their rules. You understood it child, you just can’t see it when it appears strange to you.”

“But how do we know this is normal here? If we don’t ask questions we’ll never know the answers.”

The Doctor grabbed Susan’s hand and began to pull her along, out of the room, across the market place, back through the square, into the caves. He didn’t look back, just kept running, and led Susan as she struggled, trying to resist the escape.

Before she knew it they were greeted with the familiar hum of the interior of their home and the Doctor was closing the doors with a flick of the switch. He put the ship into flight and the column began to rise and fall noisily as the ship de-materialised and took them away from the system entirely. Susan fell to one of the chairs in distress. Just like that it was over.

“I’m not sure if that was right, Grandfather, we just ran away. He could have been saved, maybe he wasn’t meant to be offered, what if we were wrong?”

“That’s just it, my dear, how can we ever know? Trust in me as your grandfather.”

“Like that man trusted in his?”

The Doctor frowned. “We must all believe in what we can and what feels right at the time.”

“Sometimes a grandfather can let you down.”

She sighed unhappily and took off the cloak, draping it over the chair. The Doctor patted her on the shoulder in sympathy. “I understand, Susan, I really do. Your old grandfather is a bit of a mystery to you, a bit of a mystery to me too. I didn’t want to ruin your good time. We had fun also, did we not?”

“Yes, Grandfather,” Susan replied, looking up at him with a tear in her eye. “Yes, we did.”

“Well, we keep on going then? Travelling? Seeing things? New fashions await you, my dear grandchild.”

“So, you’ll let me actually buy a real dress on the next planet then?” She giggled, trying to put the horrible thoughts from her mind.

“Behave yourself and we shall see.” The Doctor ruffled her hair and embraced her in a hug. “Off we go,” he said, “wonder where we’ll end up next, would you like to know?”


End file.
